Shop Owner Beaten to Death by BNP Activists in Narayanganj

“BNP is surpassing even the fascist regime’s thugs in extortion, land grabbing, and killings. Chaos reigns across the district. Blood is being shed daily over land disputes. The followers of central leader Mahmudur Rahman Sumon have become reckless.

We do not want to see such a central leader on the soil of Araihazar.” — Such were the remarks made by senior leaders of the BNP's Araihazar Upazila unit.

Narayanganj district BNP leaders and activists have expressed deep outrage and condemnation against Sumon, demanding his arrest after an incident where a shop owner was beaten to death for demanding unpaid rent.

The incident took place at around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday (July 30) in the Salmodi Bazar area of Mahmudpur Union under Araihazar Upazila. The deceased was identified as Jahangir Hossain (58), son of the late Taleb Ali of that area. 

Jahangir Hossain ran a grocery shop in Salmodi Bazar and owned three other shops in the market. These shops had been rented out to local BNP activists.

Officer-in-Charge of Araihazar Police Station, Nasir Uddin, confirmed the incident and stated that a drive was underway to arrest those involved. The victim’s family is preparing to file a case.

According to the victim's son, Russell, ahead of a BNP central program scheduled for August 5, Mahmudur Rahman Sumon — a member of the BNP National Executive Committee — and his follower, former general secretary of Mahmudpur Union BNP, Tota Member, rented three shops in the market. One of those shops, however, was turned into a local BNP office, and the rent for that shop had not been paid for a long time.

At around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jahangir Hossain went to demand the unpaid rent. Tota Member responded evasively, which led to an argument. At one point, Tota slapped Jahangir. As tensions escalated, Tota’s son Khokon, another Russell (not the victim’s son), nephew Saddam, Alam, and several others dragged Jahangir inside the BNP office and brutally beat him.

He was taken to the upazila health complex in critical condition, where doctors declared him dead.

Following the incident, Tota Member and his associates have gone into hiding.